Method for making padded envelope

ABSTRACT

A padded shipping envelope is made by continuously advancing a preprinted envelope blank in a first direction while a patch of foamed plastic material is adhered thereto to substantially cover the envelope pocket defining portions of the blank, and folding and joining the composite structure to partially form an envelope structure including front and back panels. Thereafter, the partially formed envelope structure is continuously advanced in a second direction generally normal to the first direction while a bottom panel is folded into overlying relation and adhered to the back panel and sealing adhesive is applied to the envelope closure flap.

[451 Feb. 25, 1975 3,349,990 10/1967 Woodford,..........,.........229/14 C X 3,380,353

[ METHOD FOR MAKING PADDED ENVELOPE Mittermayer.......................913/61 R 229/14 BL X [75] Inventor: Joseph H. ONeil, Springfield, Mass.

Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-James F. Coan v, n a n. m 0C e P .m ma M e a MM d am o. US e n .W S S A H 7 l.

Attorney, Agent or FirmFrederick .l. Haesche Jan. 28, 1974 Appl. N0.:437,601

[22] Filed:

ABSTRACT A padded shipping envelope is made by continuous] [52] 93/61 R,93/62,l56/226, advancingapreprintedenvelopeblankinafirstdire 156/291,206/521 tion while a patch of foamed plastic material is adlnt. heredthereto to substantially cover the envelope [51] 13311) 39/00 229/68 R,14 C, 14 BL, 92.9; 93/36.6, 61 R, 61 A, 62, 35

[58] Field of Search............ pocket defining portions of the blank,and folding and 229/928 joining the composite structure to partiallyform an R, 8 W; 53/31, 32, 206; l56/226, 291; envelope structureincluding front and back panels.

206/521, 523, 524 Thereafter, the partially formed envelope structure iscontinuously advanced in a second direction generally [56] ReferencesCited normal to the first direction while a bottom panel is UNITEDSTATES PATENTS folded into overlying relation and adhered to the backpanel and sealing adhesive is applied to the envelope closure flap.

2 /5 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 206/521 Toepfert m s m k wmm w w m NGm00000 2366 9999 1111 669 62008 0595 .3 3222 7656 10 7 0 9 '22 a P w 19.w

PATENImrzaesmrs ANYWHERE 1 METHOD FOR MAKING PADDED ENVELOPE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a method formaking envelopes and deals more specifically with an improved method formaking a padded envelope suitable for use as a shipping container ormailer. Heretofore, envelopes of the aforedescribed general type havebeen fabricated by attaching padding material such as corrugated paperto a web of paper and then forming the resulting composite web structureinto a bag. This method has disadvantages in that it is not practical toprovide an integral closure in the forming operation, since the webmachine does not have the capability of forming a suitably shapedclosure flap. If a closure flap is to be provided, additional operationsare usually required to form the closure flap. Further such web machinesusually employ rubber plates, use fluid ink, and print only one or twocolors which limits the quality of printing available. Thepresentinvention is directed to an improved high production method formaking a light weight, high quality shipping envelope particularlysuited for use as a shipping container or mailer for small parts orfragile articles such as jewelry, electronic parts, tape casettes,credit cards, eyeglass frames, scientific instruments, medicalinstruments, small tools or other special direct mail items and whichmay be printed by any chosen printing process with excellent fidelity,to assure a high-quality finished product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention animproved padded shipping envelope is formed of adhering a patch ofpadding material to a precut and preprinted envelope blank and foldingand joining the composite blank and patch to form front and rear panelswhich partially define an envelope pocket while the blank is advanced inone direction through an envelope making machine. Thereafter, thepartially formed envelope is further advanced in another directiongenerally normal to said one direction whereupon adhesive is applied tothe closure flap and bottom flap and the bottom flap is folded tooverlie an associated one of the aforesaid panels to form the bottom ofthe envelope pocket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a rear view of an envelopemade in accordance with the present invention, a portion of the backpanel and the padding material shown broken away to reveal structuretherebehind.

FIG. 2 is a somewhat enlarged sectional view taken generally along theline 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a preprinted envelope blank from which theenvelope of FIG. 1 is formed.

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate successive steps in the process for making theenvelope of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to thedrawing and referring first particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, an envelopemade in accordance with the present invention and indicated generally bythe reference numeral comprises a front panel 12, a back panel 14, abottom flap 16, and a closure flap 18. The entire inner surface of theenvelope pocket between the front and back panels is lined by a foamedplastic pad which may, for example, comprise polyethylene. The pad 20ispreferably adhered to the body panels of the envelope 10 by pressuresensitive adhesive which remains tacky for an indefinite time. Theclosure flap 18 carries a strip of sealing gum or pressure sensitiveadhesive 22 which is preferably covered by a strip of protective releasepaper 24 until the envelope 10 is ready for use.

The method for making the envelope 10 is illustrated with reference toFIGS. 3-7. Referring first to FIG. 3, a preprinted blank from which anenvelope 10 is formed is indicated generally at 26 and may be producedfrom practically any stock or color paper or other suitable material.The printing operation is performed before any further operations areperformed on the blank 26, therefore, any desired graphic treatment maybe employed, including four color process, if de* sired. The printingoperation may be performed either on a web before blanks are formedtherefrom or on the blanks, as desired. Further referring to thepreprinted blank 26, it includes a printed fI'OI'llt panel 12 and a pairof side panels 28 and 28' which cooperate in overlapping relation todefine the envelope back panel 14. Re ferring now particularly to FIGS.4-6, the blank 26 is fed into an envelope making machine with the outeror printed surface thereof in the downwardly facing direction and isadvanced in one direction parallel to the side edges thereof, the latterdirection of advance being indicated by the directional arrows 30, 30 inFIGS. 4 and 6. While the blank 26 is continuously advancing in thedirection 30, a pattern of adhesive is applied to the upper surface ofthe front panel 12 and side panels 28, 28. As shown, the pattern isdefined by a plurality of parallel strips of adhesive 32, 32. The latterstrips of adhesive are preferably of a pressure sensitive type whichremains tacky for an indefinite time. Another strip of adhesive or seamgum 34 is preferably simultaneously applied to the blank 26 adjacent oneside edge of the associated side panel 28.

The patch or pad 20, shown in FIG. 5, is preferably cut from foamedplastic material while the blank 26 is continuously advancing and is cutto required size to substantially cover the entire upper surface of thefront panel 12 and the entire body defining portions of the side panels28 and 28'.'More specifically, the pad 20 is cut to size and shape tosubstantially overlie the entire upper surface of the right-hand panel28' and the entire upper surface of the front panel 12, but only aportion of the upper surface of the left side panel 28, as shown in FIG.4, The uncovered or exposed portion of the left side panel 28 comprisesthe marginal portion thereof which carries the seam gum 34.

The patch 20 is adhered to the blank 26 by applying it into overlyingrelation with the advancing blank and pressing it into engagementtherewith as the blank continuously advances in the direction 30 (FIG.6). While the composite blank 26 and patch 20 advance in the direction30, the right-hand panel 28' is folded inwardly toward overlyingrelation with the patch 20 along a fold line 36 to its broken lineposition in FIG. 6. Thereafter, the left-hand panel 28 is foldedinwardly along another fold line 38, to its broken line position in FIG.7 to bring the side edges of the patch 20 into abutting engagement andthe adhesive strip 34 into adhering engagement with the marginal edge ofthe right hand panel 28 to form the back panel 114.

After the back panel 14 has been formed, the direction of advance of thepartially formed envelope is altered so that it is further advanced inanother direction normal to the direction 30 and indicated by thedirectional arrow 40, FIG. 7. As the partially completed envelopestructure advances in the latter direction, a strip of seam gum 42 isapplied to the bottom panel 16 and another strip of sealing gum 22 isapplied to the closure flap 18. Any suitable adhesive may be used forthis purpose, however, pressure sensitive adhesive is preferred. Theenvelope is completed by folding the bottom panel 16 inwardly alonganother fold line 44 and into overlying relation with the panels 28 and28 to its position in FIG. 1. If pressure sensitive sealing gum 22 isapplied to the closing flap, release paper such as 24 (FIG. 1) may alsobe applied to cover the gum 22 at this time.

I claim:

1. A method for making a padded envelope comprising the steps ofproviding a preprinted envelope blank having a plurality of envelopebody defining panels including a front panel, a first side panelintegrally connected to said front panel along one side edge of saidfront panel, and a second side panel integrally connected to said frontpanel along the other side edge of said front panel, said second sidepanel having a body defining portion adjacent said other side of saidfront panel and a seam defining marginal portion adjacent its free edge,said blank having a bottom flap integrally connected to one of saidpanels along the bottom edge thereof and a closure flap integrallyconnected to one of said panels along the top edge thereof, continuouslyadvancing said preprinted blank in one direction, applying a pattern ofadhesive to said front panel, said first side panel and said bodydefining portion of said second side panel while said preprinted blankis continuously advancing in said one direction, applying adhesive tosaid seam defining marginal portion while said preprinted blank iscontinuously advancing in said one direction, cutting a patch of foamedplastic material to complement and substantially cover said front panel,said first side panel and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel, attaching said patch to said preprinted blank by said pattern ofadhesive to substantially cover one surface of said front panel, saidfirst side panel, and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel while said preprinted blank is continuously advancing in said onedirection, folding said first side panel with said patch attachedthereto inwardly along said one side edge and toward said second sidepanel while said preprinted blank is continuously advancing in said onedirection, folding said second side panel with said patch attachedthereto inwardly along said other side edge and toward first side panelto bring the opposite side edges of said patch into abutting engagement,adhering said seam defining portion to an associated marginal portion ofsaid one side panel while said preprinted blank is continuouslyadvancing in said one direction, advancing said preprinted blank inanother direction, applying adhesive to said bottom flap, folding saidbottom flap inwardly along said bottom edge and adhering it to saidfirst and said second side panels while said preprinted blank isadvancing in said other direction, and applying adhesive to said closureflap.

2. A method for making a padded envelope as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe step of applying a pattern of adhesive is further defined asapplying a plurality of parallel strips of pressure sensitive adhesiveextending in said one direction to said one surface of said front panel,said first side panel and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel and the step of attaching said patch is further defined aspressing said patch into adhering engagement with said pattern ofadhesive.

3. A method for making a padded envelope as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe step of advancing said preprinted blank in another direction isfurther defined as advancing said preprinted blank in another directionnormal to said one direction and the step of applying adhesive to saidbottom flap is further defined as applying a strip of adhesive extendingin said other direction to said one surface of said bottom flap.

1. A method for making a padded envelope comprising the steps ofproviding a preprinted envelope blank having a plurality of envelopebody defining panels including a front panel, a first side panelintegrally connected to said front panel along one side edge of saidfront panel, and a second side panel integrally connected to said frontpanel along the other side edge of said front panel, said second sidepanel having a body defining portion adjacent said other side of saidfront panel and a seam defining marginal portion adjacent its free edge,said blank having a bottom flap integrally connected to one of saidpanels along the bottom edge thereof and a closure flap integrallyconnected to one of said panels along the top edge thereof, continuouslyadvancing said preprinted blank in one direction, applying a pattern ofadhesive to said front panel, said first side panel and said bodydefining portion of said second side panel while said preprinted blankis continuously advancing in said one direction, applying adhesive tosaid seam defining marginal portion while said preprinted blank iscontinuously advancing in said one direction, cutting a patch of foamedplastic material to complement and substantially cover said front panel,said first side panel and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel, attaching said patch to said preprinted blank by said pattern ofadhesive to substantially cover one surface of said front panel, saidfirst side panel, and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel while said preprinted blank is continuously advancing in said onedirection, folding said first side panel with said patch attachedthereto inwardly along said one side edge and toward said second sidepanel while said preprinted blank is continuously advancing in said onedirection, folding said second side panel with said patch attachedthereto inwardly along said other side edge and toward first side panelto bring the opposite side edges of said patch into abutting engagement,adhering said seam defining portion to an associated marginal portion ofsaid one side panel while said preprinted blank is continuouslyadvancing in said one direction, advancing said preprinted blank inanother direction, applying adhesive to said bottom flap, folding saidbottom flap inwardly along said bottom edge and adhering it to saidfirst and said second side panels while said preprinted blank isadvancing in said other direction, and applying adhesive to said closureflap.
 2. A method for making a padded envelope as set forth in claim 1wherein the step of applying a pattern of adhesive is further defined asapplying a plurality of parallel strips of pressure sensitive adhesiveextending in said one direction to said one surface of said front panel,said first side panel and said body defining portion of said second sidepanel and the step of attaching said patch is further defined aspressing said patch into adhering engagement with said pattern ofadhesive.
 3. A method for making a padded envelope as set fOrth in claim1 wherein the step of advancing said preprinted blank in anotherdirection is further defined as advancing said preprinted blank inanother direction normal to said one direction and the step of applyingadhesive to said bottom flap is further defined as applying a strip ofadhesive extending in said other direction to said one surface of saidbottom flap.